February 22, 2017 – Hamilton, ON – Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)

From carpal tunnel syndrome, to tendonitis, to tension neck syndrome, repetitive strain injuries affect about 15% of Canadians (4.5 million people), according to Statistics Canada. On February 28th, 2017, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) is reminding workplaces to take International Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Awareness Day as an opportunity to raise awareness about these injuries and how they can be prevented.

Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs), also known as musculoskeletal disorders, are painful disorders that affect tendons, muscles, nerves and joints in the neck, upper and lower back, chest, shoulders, arms and hands. They can be caused by repetitive movements; awkward postures and fixed body positions, excessive force concentrated on small parts of the body (hands and wrists), a fast pace of work with insufficient breaks or recovery time, and psychosocial factors such as stress.

To help workplaces promote International Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Awareness Day, and work towards the prevention of RSIs, the CCOHS website www.ccohs.ca/events/rsi has free infographics, shareable social media images and messaging, informative fact sheets, posters, e-courses, webinars and podcasts.